Women in the spotlight at QPMA's 61st convention
Women in the spotlight at QPMA's 61st convention
LA MALBAIE, QC - According to the Chinese zodiac, 2008 is the year of the rat, but in the Quebec produce industry, 2008 is unmistakably the year of the woman.
The Quebec Produce Marketing Association held its 61st annual convention here at Le Manoir Richelieu overlooking the St. Lawrence River about two hours northeast of Quebec City and paid tribute to women working in the produce trade at its industry brunch and closing banquet Aug. 16.
In addition to the organization's staff members being all female, the association elected its first woman president, Bernadette Hamel of Metro Inc., at its last convention, and its convention chairman, Marie Goesslin of Les Serres du St.-Laurent, is also a woman.
Women also led two business sessions held on the morning of Aug. 16. Lise Cardinal spoke about responsible and sustainable networking, while Stephanie Beaudoin of La Face Cachee de la Pomme (the apple's hidden face) talked about the marketing and development behind her firm's iced apple cider and the overall iced cider industry in Quebec.
At the brunch later that morning, Beth Pattillo, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association's current chairman and the first woman to hold the position in its 83-year history, told the audience that it was ironic that she and Ms. Hamel were appointed to their positions in the same year. She was followed by Sophie Thibault, the only solo female anchor of a major late- night network television news broadcast in North America, who gave a keynote address on the trials and tribulations of getting to her position and the responsibilities that come with it.
"Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult," Ms. Thibault said, repeating a famous quote by Charlotte Whitton, a Canadian feminist and a former mayor of Canada's capital city, Ottawa. Her comment got a rousing laugh from the audience.
Ms. Hamel's term came to an end at the association's closing banquet, and she told The Produce News that her year as president of the association "shows that women do have their place in the industry and we can contribute with our ideas. Working hand-in-hand with the guys, we can move forward and be more creative together. I think it's important when you have a women's point of view. It's a different point of view, but when we're talking food, we're normally servicing more a woman consumer than a man because it's normally women doing the shopping."
Ms. Hamel said that she is proud of the association's many accomplishments over the past year, including adding 71 new members, bringing its total to 510.
"We looked at the financial aspect of our association," she said. "Any monies that are contributed to the association have to go to promoting produce, and we are going to try and maximize any revenues that come in by cutting different expenses and trying new activities to get monies for the promotion of produce. We focused on membership and networking opportunities for our members."
Sophie Perreault, executive director of the association, said that 500 people attended the convention's closing banquet, which is a record for a convention held outside Montreal.
"It was a good convention, and I'm glad we were able to give it this feminine touch," Ms. Perreault told The Produce News.
She said that she was happy the association was able to pass its new bylaws, and noted that she was also pleased to welcome four new members to the association's board of directors: Michel Galli of Courchesne Larose; Bernard Cote of J.B. Laverdure; Dino Farrese of Bellemont Powell; and Francis Berube of Sobeys Quebec.
Robert Beauregard, the association's former second vice president who was required to step down when he transferred to a position at Sobeys in Ontario, has also returned as a board member now that he is working for Metro in Montreal.
"They will make the board stronger, and I am happy to see new wholesale directors on the board," Ms. Perreault said.
Christian Chouinard of Provigo took Ms. Hamel's position as QPMA president for 2008-09. Stephan Dolbec of Patates Dolbec will serve as its first vice president, and George Pitsikoulis of Canadawide will serve as its new second vice president.
In his address, Mr. Chouinard said, "I'm really proud that you were the first woman to be QPMA president, Bernadette, and I hope you will be followed by many more in our industry."
He said that there are many challenges for the industry including having "a number of strong and sometimes contradictory trends," and he pledged "to devote special attention to the [rules] that dictate our ways of doing business. And I'm very happy that the article which states that 'every member undertakes to practice trade in a loyal and responsible manner' now forms part of the official QPMA statutes and regulations. That deserves to be spelled out clearly."
After a storied career in both politics and in produce, Martin Desrochers, president of HydroSerre Mirabel, was presented with the coveted Pillar of the Industry award.
Mr. Desrochers, a past president of the QPMA, a founding member and one of the 12 members of the governing council of the Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corp. and a board member of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, told the audience, "I am very proud if I was able to have a modest contribution for the benefit of our industry. And I am also very grateful for the opportunities this industry has provided me with, which made it possible."
The Quebec Produce Marketing Association held its 61st annual convention here at Le Manoir Richelieu overlooking the St. Lawrence River about two hours northeast of Quebec City and paid tribute to women working in the produce trade at its industry brunch and closing banquet Aug. 16.
In addition to the organization's staff members being all female, the association elected its first woman president, Bernadette Hamel of Metro Inc., at its last convention, and its convention chairman, Marie Goesslin of Les Serres du St.-Laurent, is also a woman.
Women also led two business sessions held on the morning of Aug. 16. Lise Cardinal spoke about responsible and sustainable networking, while Stephanie Beaudoin of La Face Cachee de la Pomme (the apple's hidden face) talked about the marketing and development behind her firm's iced apple cider and the overall iced cider industry in Quebec.
At the brunch later that morning, Beth Pattillo, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association's current chairman and the first woman to hold the position in its 83-year history, told the audience that it was ironic that she and Ms. Hamel were appointed to their positions in the same year. She was followed by Sophie Thibault, the only solo female anchor of a major late- night network television news broadcast in North America, who gave a keynote address on the trials and tribulations of getting to her position and the responsibilities that come with it.
"Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult," Ms. Thibault said, repeating a famous quote by Charlotte Whitton, a Canadian feminist and a former mayor of Canada's capital city, Ottawa. Her comment got a rousing laugh from the audience.
Ms. Hamel's term came to an end at the association's closing banquet, and she told The Produce News that her year as president of the association "shows that women do have their place in the industry and we can contribute with our ideas. Working hand-in-hand with the guys, we can move forward and be more creative together. I think it's important when you have a women's point of view. It's a different point of view, but when we're talking food, we're normally servicing more a woman consumer than a man because it's normally women doing the shopping."
Ms. Hamel said that she is proud of the association's many accomplishments over the past year, including adding 71 new members, bringing its total to 510.
"We looked at the financial aspect of our association," she said. "Any monies that are contributed to the association have to go to promoting produce, and we are going to try and maximize any revenues that come in by cutting different expenses and trying new activities to get monies for the promotion of produce. We focused on membership and networking opportunities for our members."
Sophie Perreault, executive director of the association, said that 500 people attended the convention's closing banquet, which is a record for a convention held outside Montreal.
"It was a good convention, and I'm glad we were able to give it this feminine touch," Ms. Perreault told The Produce News.
She said that she was happy the association was able to pass its new bylaws, and noted that she was also pleased to welcome four new members to the association's board of directors: Michel Galli of Courchesne Larose; Bernard Cote of J.B. Laverdure; Dino Farrese of Bellemont Powell; and Francis Berube of Sobeys Quebec.
Robert Beauregard, the association's former second vice president who was required to step down when he transferred to a position at Sobeys in Ontario, has also returned as a board member now that he is working for Metro in Montreal.
"They will make the board stronger, and I am happy to see new wholesale directors on the board," Ms. Perreault said.
Christian Chouinard of Provigo took Ms. Hamel's position as QPMA president for 2008-09. Stephan Dolbec of Patates Dolbec will serve as its first vice president, and George Pitsikoulis of Canadawide will serve as its new second vice president.
In his address, Mr. Chouinard said, "I'm really proud that you were the first woman to be QPMA president, Bernadette, and I hope you will be followed by many more in our industry."
He said that there are many challenges for the industry including having "a number of strong and sometimes contradictory trends," and he pledged "to devote special attention to the [rules] that dictate our ways of doing business. And I'm very happy that the article which states that 'every member undertakes to practice trade in a loyal and responsible manner' now forms part of the official QPMA statutes and regulations. That deserves to be spelled out clearly."
After a storied career in both politics and in produce, Martin Desrochers, president of HydroSerre Mirabel, was presented with the coveted Pillar of the Industry award.
Mr. Desrochers, a past president of the QPMA, a founding member and one of the 12 members of the governing council of the Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corp. and a board member of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, told the audience, "I am very proud if I was able to have a modest contribution for the benefit of our industry. And I am also very grateful for the opportunities this industry has provided me with, which made it possible."
